There was a time when music videos were a source of inspiration. As a child living in Colombia, and eventually in the US as a teen, I would sit in front of my TV and look at music video shows where they would present the most popular. These days, I can't help feeling nostalgic and reminiscent for a time when music and visual arts were so well connected. I understand that today, accessibility to tools and technologies have given musicians more possibilities to promote their material, but I'm afraid all that came at the expense of substance. Music videos were a great incentive to create pictures in my head, and with this post, I'd like to share a few that have always stuck in my mind, so I will do my best to dissect the things I enjoy most about them.
Billy Joel: We Didn’t Start the Fire. 1989
Perhaps my earliest memory of a music video. Watching Billy Joel wearing a black suit and shades singing in front of a fire was a revelation. I was fascinated with how mysterious he looked and the idea of time travel. Directed by Chris Blum, this music video shows the strong connection between imagery and storytelling.
Elton John: Sacrifice. 1990
I love the saturated and singled out blues in some of the monochrome sequences combined with the dramatization between the models that reminds me of the aesthetic of Scottish painter Jack Vettriano. The directional light on Elton John is also quite powerful, and the overlay effects on the piano solo create a surrealistic layer that’s also quite beautiful. Directed by Alek Keshishian and starring Yasmeen Ghauri and Chris Isaak
Sinead O’Connor: Nothing Compares 2 U, 1990
Directed by John Maybury in 1990, this one is a video that, even to this day, still captivates me. The close up on Sinead O’Connor as she’s singing with just a black background and a black turtle neck increases my attention at every word.
Café Tacuba, Maria. 1993
Directed by Gustavo Garzon, this video, with its film-like feel, made me conscious of my inclination for traditional Latin-American aesthetics and values. The characterizations and narrative in this video evoke traces of magical realism, a cultural style that became associated with Hispanic cultural expressions in the mid 20th century.
Like millions of people, I no longer consume music as I did when I was younger, so my response to popular music isn't the same. It's somewhat ironic how the music video seems to have diminished in artistic quality as it has become more attainable. I've seen newer music videos that catch my eye, but they now seem farther in between.